Luba Headrest Seated Caryatid Congo Africa

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Luba Headrest Seated Caryatid Congo Africa:
$175.00

TitleLuba Headrest Seated Caryatid Congo AfricaType of ObjectHeadrest Country of OriginDR CongoPeopleLubaMaterialsWoodApproximate Age20th centuryOther DimensionsHeight: 7 Inches
Width: 6 Inches
Depth: 2 Inches
Overall ConditionGood. Most ofÂ our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Â Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.Â We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.Â Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.Damage/RepairCracks and general wear; see pictures for details.

Additional Information: A caryatid headrest supported by a pair of figures facing eachother in embrace The figures are claerly Luba by their elaborate coiffures and slim eyes. This aged piece has a gorgeous patina.

Luba always carve their headrests with great carewhich reflectstheimportanceof these artifacts to the owner. Headrests like this were personal items used bytheir ownersas pillows to protect their neck and for their comfort while resting or lying on the mat. They were also used to protect their ceremonial coiffure. As François Neyt noted, symbolically these headrests are the support of life itself. They also prevent bad dreams.The Luba excel at the veneration of feminine beauty and motherhood, and much of their skillfully crafted artworks, like this exquisite headrest, reflect this ideal.

The history of the Luba can be traced back at least 500 years, and they have dominated much of southern part of the Congo during most of this time span. At the height of their expansion their empire stretched east all the way to Lake Tanganyika. They are still a large culture, numbering about 1,000,000, and their influence remains significant. While there are dozens of art-producing peoples of Congolese origin who have contributed significantly to the recognition of Central African art, the Luba, along with their closely related neighbors the Hemba, are without any doubt the most important of them all, with many masterpieces scattered throughout the world. The Luba, like most African peoples, fashion a wide variety of everyday objects out of wood, but in their hands many of these utilitarian pieces have risen to levels of beauty unparalleled in West Africa.

For similar piece see François Neyt , LUBA TO THE SOURCES OF THE ZAIRE

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